Monday, March 29, 2010

although the food network show 'diners, drive-ins dives' isn't exactly vegan-friendly, it was the inspiration behind this recipe. i saw an episode where guy visited a french bistro and the chef made this lentil dressing from dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and soybean oil. as soon as i saw that dressing, my heart felt all aflutter - i think that flavor combo was put on this earth just for me. :) i've made tangy lentil salads before, so i wanted to try something completely new. it's a perfect early spring recipe - not too heavy, but still warming and savory. i think it would make a great holiday side dish.

4 small yukon gold potatoes

10 stalks of asparagus

3/4 cup french green lentils

2 tablespoons olive olive oil

1/2 tablespoon rosemary

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soybean oil

the first step it to start cooking the lentils - 1/3 cup dry will make about 3/4 cup cooked. bring them to a boil and then let simmer. as they are cooking, dice up the potatoes into cubes and lay on a cookie sheet covered in foil. drizzle them with one tablespoon of olive oil and and sprinkle on the rosemary. toss the potatoes around, making sure they are covered with the oil and rosemary mix. place in the oven at 375°f for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 15 minutes.

cut about 2 inches off the tops of the asparagus stalks, and then halve those again. pull the cookie sheet out and scoot the potatoes to one side. toss the asparagus cuts in the other tablespoon of olive oil and place on the other end of the cookie sheet. pop back in the oven for another 15 minutes. the potatoes will likely still need some browning up, so put them back in the oven as well. if they are are too crispy or in danger of burning, remove them when you cook the asparagus.

the lentils should finish up cooking after the asparagus has been in for a bit. drain them and set aside. in a jar, or dressing shaker, mix up the soybean oil, red wine vinegar and dijon mustard. when the asparagus is done, combine them with the potatoes and lentils and gently toss in the dijon dressing.

Friday, March 19, 2010

i made this recipe last year and it was so awesome, i couldn't wait to post it in time for this years st. patrick's day. i had planned to post it about two weeks ago, but i was in another car accident which has totally hijacked my time to blog (or cook). i did finally remake it a few days ago it was as good as i remember. i'm already stoked to make it again for some reubens!

for the corned beef:

1 ½ cups vital wheat gluten

1/4 cup rolled oats

3 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1½ teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika

10-12 slightly crushed black peppercorns

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

3/4 cup cold water (more if needed)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

for the crock pot mix:

3½ cups veggie broth

3 carrots, chopped

1/2 small onion, minced

1/2 head cabbage, chopped

4 baby red or yukon gold potatoes, chopped

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon sage

1-2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon horseradish

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon bragg's aminos

switch the crock pot on high and add in all spices from the crock pot mix and the potatoes (skip the braggs if you have a salty broth). this will cook for about 5 hours total. now, i usually put my cabbage in early - and let it cook for about 2-3
hours. i like it that way. but some will say to add cabbage about an
hour before eating. it's up to you. about 2 hours in, start the corned beef. mix the wet and dry ingredients in two separate bowls, then slowly add the wet into the dry as you knead. after about 3 minutes of kneading, shape the seitan into a loaf and wrap in a foil pouch. steam for approximately 25 minutes and let cool. open up the foil pouch, and place under the broiler (on low) for about 5-10 minutes on each side (until it develops a crusty skin). i just pop it in the over on the foil, but you can use a pan if you want.

you'll place the corned beef in the crock pot, making sure to cover it completely with the broth. let it cook for about an hour, then pull it out and place on a cutting board. slice into thin slices, no more than a 1/4" thick. put back in the crock pot for another hour or so, until the cabbage and potatoes are tender. whew - you're done!

i made a gravy by reconstituting the broth with a little nutritional yeast and some unbleached flour. i served it up with irish soda bread.

Monday, March 8, 2010

i live in kansas city, and there is no shortage of good barbecue sauces here. and man, do i love a good bbq sauce - especially grilled up on some veggies. since it's winter and too cold to grill, lately i've been enjoying it on pulled pork sammies. there are a variety of ways to make vegan pulled pork - my personal favourite would have to be using young green jackfruit, as it has a nice shredded texture and absorbs the bbq flavour well. i get it at my local asian grocer. you can find a handful of pulled pork recipes using jackfruit online - it's not a new concept - but here is the recipe i've created and always use.

1 can young green jackfruit

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon bragg liquid aminos

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/3 cup water

2/3 veggie broth

1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke

1/2 cup hickory bbq sauce

1½ tablespoon heinz 57 sauce

1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

drain the quartered jackfruit from the brine or water it's in (be sure to use young or green jackfruit). rinse all the pieces thoroughly and squeeze each piece to remove as much water as possible. while draining and squeezing, shred each piece (it's very tender) before putting into a 2 quart saucepan. after all the jackfruit pieces are in the pan, add in the water, garlic, onion and mustard powder, bragg's and ground pepper. turn the heat on medium high and cook for approximately 12 minutes or until the water has completely evaporated. since the water content is so low, be sure and stir often - almost sautéeing. if it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan but hasn't started to darken up a bit, add in a couple tablespoons of water... but be sure to cook that off again.

after the water is gone, the jackfruit should be a little darker in colour, almost like a very light brown or dirty white. at this point, turn the heat to low and stir in the rest of the ingredients. cover and simmer on low heat for about an hour and a half, removing the lid half way through. the sauce should reduce an thicken up considerably. after it's done cooking, let it sit for about another hour to really allow the jackfruit to marinate. finally, toss it back on low heat for about another 15-20 minutes and then serve. with pickles.